New Life Church
Weekly Update
December 8, 2021
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Third Sunday of Advent
Join us for Traditional Worship at 8:15 a.m. and Praise Band Worship at 9:30 a.m. this Sunday, December 5th. The 9:30 a.m. service is also livestreamed on Facebook Live. The message for the Third Sunday of Advent continues our look at the "Promise Fulfilled" through Zephaniah 3:14-20 - "Rejoicing / Day of Hope."
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PLAN TO JOIN US TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS
We hope you’ll join us for these many ways to welcome the Christ child!
Sundays in Advent – Pastor Heather is doing a sermon series entitled “The Promise Fulfilled” looking at all the ways Jesus’ coming was foretold throughout the ages – and what that means for us today! Listen to the voices of prophets in this season of waiting and watching!
Wednesdays in Advent – come each Wednesday for dinner at 5:30pm and then stay for a reflective brief worship service at 6:30pm focused on “The Gifts of Advent” - This week we look at the gifts of Silence & Speech. Come join us for these renewing times in this busy season!
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Longest Night Service – Tuesday, December 21st at 6:30 p.m.– in person at St. Stephen’s (Monona) or live streamed. December 21st is the longest night, and for so many this symbolizes the grief that can be associated with this time of year.
This special service is to acknowledge that not all things are "merry and bright." May this bless you as we all wait and watch.
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Christmas Eve Worship
5:00 p.m. – a family-friendly service with an impromptu pageant, favorite Christmas carols, candles, and glowsticks!
7:00 p.m. – a candlelight service filled with all your favorite Christmas songs
Holy Communion served at both services – all are welcome! The 7:00 p.m. service will be live-streamed on our Facebook page as well.
Sunday December 26
There will be ONE service at 9:30am this festive morning. Come join us for a service of Lessons and Carols as we hear the greatest story ever told!
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Thank you to all who have been participating in our weekly worship!
If you missed last week's service, here is a link to it:
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How to Access Worship
Our 9:30 am service will always be live streamed and available via our Facebook page so if you’re out of town and can’t attend in-person, you can always worship with us! Please also share this as a resource with others – it’s available anytime, not just when we’re live – as well as on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4F48R7NG-hzy-2EOk0EG-g) and website beginning on Monday mornings.
Certainly, we’d love to have you come and worship with us in-person anytime it’s possible:
Traditional Worship Service at 8:15 a.m.
Praise Worship Service at 9:30 a.m.
Masks required inside for worship
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New YOUTH EDUCATION COORDINATOR to Begin Duties at New Life Church in January
Jessica Korrison is excited to start her ministry with us! She comes with lots of experience leading the youth group of her home church, Grace Lutheran in Grafton, WI. She has a degree and work experience in the hotel management and hospitality industry, but has always felt God’s tug to be in ministry as an occupation instead of volunteer. She has led middle school and high school classes, events, retreats, and youth trips plus helped in children’s ministry as well. She has led a youth trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern MN for several years. Growing up, youth group was such an important part of her faith and life, and she looks forward to making that experience a reality for our kids as well.
She recently moved to Sun Prairie with her college friend, Sam, and cat, Phoebe, after the unexpected loss of her beloved fiancé, John, this past August. She is looking forward to this opportunity as a chance to share the reality of God's love with the youth of New Life.
She looks forward to meeting you all as she begins her work among us on January 2, 2022. Come meet her that morning!
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Reconciling In Christ Welcome Statement
WE NEED YOUR INPUT! Listening Session this Sunday, December 12
Our Welcome Statement – an intentional welcome to LGBTQIA+ and Transgendered people as well as a commitment to racial equity and justice – has been approved by the Church Council and now comes to you for conversation! Please take this 30-second survey about the statement, and if you would like to discuss this further or thank our Team (Terri Beck-Engel, Jillene Fisch, Sandy Kowal, Margo McBain, Wayne and Barb Meyer, Noah Peck, and Barb Zimmerman), please come to a Listening Session THIS Sunday, December 12 - 9:00 & 10:30 am.
We will vote as a community on this statement at our Annual Meeting on January 30th.
To read the Welcome Statement and vote in the survey, please click here.
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IN CASE OF WEATHER
Tis the season…for snow and nasty weather! In the case of inclement weather, please check our website for event cancellations, but worship will never be cancelled. If you can safely get here, we will worship together. Please always use your best judgement on traveling on slippery roads. If you’re wondering about an event, please contact the office in advance.
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WEDNESDAY DINNERS
Our next Wednesday Night Dinner TONIGHT, December 8th, will be hosted by Annie O'Kane and Mary Doxey. If you'd like to help host a dinner, please see the sign-up sheet on the right kitchen serving window to choose a week.
(There will NOT be a Wednesday dinner on Dec. 22 or Dec. 29; they'll restart on January 5th.) There's a new sheet posted for 2022!
We still need someone to volunteer for December 15th.
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DO YOU LIKE BREAKFAST?
Enjoy delicious breakfasts on the first Sunday of the month! The next breakfast will be SUNDAY, January 2, 2022 from 9-11 a.m. hosted by Debby Deutsch and Dennis Barnum.
Thanks to those who signed up to prepare meals for 2021.
WE NEED PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR NEXT YEAR ALREADY! See sign-up sheets for 2022 on the left kitchen serving window.
If you'd like to help Debby & Dennis on January 2nd, sign up on the sheet!
If you'd like to consider signing up beginning in January 2022, we'd love to have your help! It could be a couple of families/friends, a small group you meet with, even a whole ministry team! It's fun and easy to do, and we can help you with the details.
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Bring your strengths & skills to help at New Life!
~ Sound Board (Operate sound & video equipment)
~ Altar Care (Worship set-up & supplies)
~ Coffee Server (Make pots & serve coffee)
~ Teller/Counter (2-person team to count offerings)
~ Welcome Team (Greet & guide people as they enter worship)
For info on these opportunities, call the church office—223-9337.
We especially NEED new people to help with A/V & Sound Board—no experience needed, we’ll train you and it’s FUN! Just let us know if you're interested and we'll connect you with that team.
Look for the Google doc form to sign up each month for Welcome Team!
Here is a link to sign up in DECEMBER! Or click on the graphic below. Please note where there are gaps, such as: 2nd Teller Dec. 19; Greeter, Usher, and Tellers on Christmas Eve 7 pm; and a Teller and Coffee Dec. 26. Also below is the JANUARY 2022 sign-up sheet (CLICK HERE)!
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YEAR-END GIVING
First of all, we are so thankful for all the ways you already financially support the ministry of St. Matthew New Life! We pray that you will continue to give in any way that you can, and potentially consider an additional end of the year gift. We all know that 2020 and 2021 have been unprecedented years for all industries – and the church hasn’t been exempt from that! As we look toward a bright future in 2022 and beyond, we hope that you’ll help New Life end the year on a very strong note! There are also other ways to give: from your IRA (if you're over age 70 ½ ), stock appreciation transfer, or living will or trust giving. If you have questions about any of this, please let the office know and we can give you more information. Please remember that all year-end giving needs to be postmarked by Dec. 31! As always, this ministry only happens in and through you! Thank you!
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Your Offering
Thanks for your support to meet our financial obligations. Consider giving online, if you don't already. You can select a one-time or recurring donation. It's very easy to do - please click the box below to get started.
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If you would prefer to mail in your donations, they can be sent to the address at New Life: 7564 Cottage Grove Road, Madison, WI, 53718. |
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GIVING NEEDS
The last 20 months has been an unprecedented journey that no one could have anticipated. Given all the changes and unknowns we’ve experienced, your congregation is weathering the storm quite well financially – thanks to you! However, we are currently operating a bit behind where we anticipated we’d be on giving by about 15%. The Finance Team and Council have responded to that shortfall by refinancing our mortgage, which will create more cash flow starting in October. We have also kept an eye on expenses without hindering our ministry. We felt it was our duty to also let you know that this shortfall exists so that you might feel the need to respond if you’re able. If you haven’t increased your giving in a while, now may be the time to do so. We all want St. Matthew New Life to thrive in serving the gospel and our giving enables that to happen more and more. Thank you as always for all the ways you give to this ministry!
Don’t forget our online option and automated giving! Just go to our Vanco page where you can log in to your account. Once you’ve logged in, it should take you to your giving detail. If you click “Edit” you can edit amount, frequency, and account. Once you've signed up to give electronically, please let the office know if you no longer need offering envelopes and we can have those discontinued for you.
Thank you!

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Social Purpose Team is here just for you
Please know that if you are experiencing any financial need (rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries, medical, unemployment/furlough, etc.), you only need to let Pastor Heather know. This information will be kept confidential to her and our financial officers (treasurer and bookkeeper).
And of course, if you would like to give to this fund, please submit checks with "Social Purpose Fund" in the memo or give online to that fund. Again, thank you New Life for your caring and sharing!
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WAYS TO PARTNER
We have established a partnership with the Nehemiah Center, which means that we will be looking for and offering ways for you to connect with their leadership in our area serving communities of color. As the months go along, we will highlight ways that you can personally and with your family grow this partnership alongside what we’re doing as a congregation.
This month, we’re asking for donations of any size diapers in small packages. You can bring these to the church entryway and we will deliver them to Nehemiah directly. Thank you!
Other ways you and your family can partner: support black-owned businesses (click here for a list), visit www.lirs.org to support refugees, visit www.ldr.org to help with disaster response around the nation, or www.elca.org to find another way to give back to people in need.
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TEEN GIFT DRIVE
It's that time again! The annual New Life Teen Gift Drive to gather gifts for middle and high school students in our area. We will once again be working with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County to distribute the gifts we collect. The now familiar Gift Box will be set up at church on December 1st through Sunday December 12th. We do have a few gift ideas but the best approach is to have your closest teen tell you what would be best!
Teen gift ideas: Paint by numbers, card or board games, Bluetooth speaker, Hydroflask stickers, LED photo clip lights, headphones, sweaters, nail polish, socks, Carhartt winter hats, gloves, spa-like face masks.
OR gift cards to places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc.
BBBS has created an Amazon wish list to make it easy for everyone to participate. Here’s the link, BUT remember, you don’t need to stick to this list! https://a.co/8r3x8tV .
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COMMON THREADS
Ginny Olson and Gail Kriel have started up a Common Threads group again, that anyone is welcome to participate in. You'll learn how to knit or crochet, or if you have experience could work on your own project as well as make prayer shawls and blankets for the prayer shawl ministry.
Sessions take place at Ginny's studio on the second Tuesday evenings of the month from 6:30-8:30 pm and the fourth Tuesday mornings of the month from 9:30-11:30 am.
To sign up and for more information, please email Ginny Olson by clicking here. Also, if you have any yarn you'd like to bring in to the church, the group would welcome that.
PLEASE NOTE: On the table near the entrance to the Community Room there are Prayer Shawls available for anyone who needs/wants one for comfort. These beautiful shawls were made by the Common Threads group, and they would like people to have them.
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This Sunday and This Week at New Life |
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December 12, 2021:
Third Sunday of Advent
8:15 a.m. Traditional worship service
9:30 a.m. New Life Kids Message in worship
9:00 & 10:30 a.m. Reconciling In Christ (RIC) Listening Session (Community Room)
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Upcoming Schedule of Events This Week
Wednesday, December 8
5:30-6 p.m. Dinner in Community Room
6:30-7 p.m. Worship (Worship Center) - "The gifts of Silence & Speech"
Thursday, December 9
9:00-11:00 a.m. Women's Bible Study (led by Betty Sundbakken) (Classroom A)
7:00 p.m. - Shawn Peters MCF Band Rehearsal (Re-Creation Center)
Saturday, December 11
9:00-10:00 a.m. Praise Band Rehearsal (Worship Center)
Monday, December 13
6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Stamping Group (led by Cheryll Steinke) (Community Room)
Tuesday, December 14
6:30-8:30 p.m. Common Threads (led by Ginny Olson & Gail Kriel) at Ginny's studio
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Please keep the following in your prayers this week:
Donna Butler's daughter Michelle along with her sister Beverly and the family of her late cousin Simon, Boyd Fleming, Felicia Jones & family, Johnnie Jones, Michele Kiefer, Gail Kriel, Trish Krueger, Hailey Lennberg, Laurie Neuendorf, Jade Peck, Stephanie Peck's friend Jessie, Kishia Peters, Alvina Phillips,
Vern Richmond, Jeremy Showers, Bobby Spridco, Bill Sterud, Darrick Thompson, and Carolee Zick.
(Dave Kolmodin recently received great news regarding his health and says he is grateful to God and all of you for your prayers of healing.)
If you would like to be included on our prayer list, please contact the church office. Permission is required from the individual for us to print their name. Individuals will be on the list for one month unless requested. Please let us know if there is someone to be added, or if someone has improved or healed and can be taken off the list.
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608.223.9337 phone/voicemail
Email: newlifelc@newlifelc.com
Office hours are Monday through Thursday mornings.
Please feel free to contact staff members of New Life via email or by calling the office. Contacts are listed here.
New Life Staff:
Rev. Heather Hayward, Pastor
(VACANT until Jan. 2) Youth Education Coordinator
Kathy Scholl, Office Assistant
Nancy Schmidt, Bookkeeper
Shakia "Queen" Turner, Property Manager
Shane Peters, Custodian
ELCA South-Central Wisconsin Synod website:
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New Life Church Council:
Brian Coel
Jim DePass
Rick Krueger
Joe Milanese, Vice President
Kathy Nelson, President
Janice Newell, Secretary
Shawn Peters
Linda Sime
MacKenzie Swanson
Jan Wilson
Ken Wundrow, Treasurer
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